Each and Every Time
by Alyssa James
Summary: A series of one, two, or three-shots revolving around a certain Captain and his shadow. Requests are currently OPEN. Rating may go up in the future.
1. Chapter 1

_In which love triangles are never good, but especially when dealing with two very different redheads. _

XXX

If Kuroko ever had a story to tell, he'd probably start off with his second year of middle school, right before Teikou's second consecutive championship. That was the year that love bloomed—

And the year it was ripped achingly from his hands.

In all honesty, he hadn't been expecting much. The guy he liked—and yes, he said guy, that wasn't a typo—was someone who, for lack of a better term, was completely beyond his reach. He was handsome, he was kind, he was smart, he was athletic, he was perfect in every way possible—

And, it seemed, he was completely and utterly straight.

That's the hard thing about falling in love, especially in Kuroko's case—not only did he have to worry about rejection, but he had to worry about disgust, hatred, even a ruined friendship. He had to worry, not only about the guy telling his friends he was disgusting, but telling his teachers, his parents, and his classmates about him, which would cause him to be ostracized, completely deleted.

His lack of presence would morph into actual morbid shadows.

And yet, God had a cruel sense of humor, and his timing was even crueler still.

It had been after dark. He knew that, even as he stayed behind an extra hour, two, in the gym, practicing his heart out—but he couldn't really bring himself to mind. These nights were so strange, so magical, that sometimes he forgot that everyone else had left—well, almost everyone. Not like he'd admit it to anyone, but there was another reason why he stayed here, so late at night.

"Kuroko—are you still practicing?"

The ball rebounded off the hoop, clattering to the floor. The echo carried for a few seconds, impossibly loud in the large gym. "A-Akashi-kun."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw bright red—startling, and yet, strangely beautiful. Bright red, like blood . . . He shook his head, turning to face the one person whose entire existence counteracted Kuroko's own. That pale ivory skin, that calculating gaze, that athleticism that Kuroko couldn't even dream of obtaining . . . All of it, every bit of it, was him. A beautiful, unscripted soul—

He saw Akashi smile softly, the sight nearly breathtaking, before he stepped forward, subconsciously drawn by his charm. "Akashi-kun, why are you here so late?"

The question seemed to startle him, if only slightly, for he wavered a few moments before replying. " . . . I wanted to see how your training was going."

Kuroko's heart thumped painfully against his chest.

"It's . . . it's fine." He glanced into Akashi's eyes, growing bolder. "I'm doing well."

"Oh?" The tone was conversational, but to Kuroko, he could almost feel the disappointment rolling off his tongue. "Then shall we test that theory?"

"Test it?"

"Of course." Akashi looked affronted that he was being questioned. "By one-on-one."

Kuroko felt himself pale, but he was secretly glad that his voice didn't waver. "I'd love to, Akashi-kun, but I should really be getting home."

For a moment, Kuroko saw something . . . well, unusual happen to his captain. For a moment, he saw two eyes, one his true red, but the other flashed . . .

A virulent gold.

Kuroko shook his head, focusing harder, and breathing out a sigh of relief when he realized they were the same. Had his eyes been playing tricks on him? Ah, but Akashi had appeared to have two different colored eyes for just a split second—

"Kuroko? Are you okay?"

Suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, Kuroko reeled back, the words quickly registering. "I'm fine, Akashi-kun. Just a little tired."

Akashi didn't look like he believed him, but he sighed, letting the issue drop. "It's these late nights. They'll kill you, Kuroko."

Kuroko pouted, wanting to tell Akashi he knew perfectly well what his capabilities were, but decided, instead, to say, "I would love to play one-on-one with Akashi-kun."

Akashi smiled again, this time his eyes shining warmly. Kuroko's heart thumped again, and again, and he suddenly felt very, very hot.

"Ah, uh—let's get started then." Kuroko grabbed a nearby basketball, and threw it to Akashi. "You can start first, Akashi-kun."

"That's very generous of you, Kuroko." Akashi slowly started to dribble, his fingers flexing against the ball, everything in slow motion. Well, at least to Kuroko. He just couldn't get over how cool or amazing his captain was, or how pure his skin was, or how lean and muscular he was, and—oh God, those _lips_—

The ball swooshed right through the net before connecting with the ground.

Akashi glanced back at the still frozen Kuroko, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "As I said before, generous."

"Akashi-kun is mean."

"Oh?" There was a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. "And how is that?"

"I was lost in thought, and you . . ." Kuroko blushed, averting his eyes. "Never mind. Can we . . . can we try again?"

This time, Akashi did smirk, though the warmth didn't stray from his eyes. "Always. But this will be the last one, okay?"

Kuroko nodded, and they started again, this time with both participants in the game. Akashi faked to the right, then dribbled to the left, spinning around Kuroko in a slower version of a move Aomine had recently been developing. But Kuroko, being used to his light's actions, stepped to the side and reached out, hand almost intercepting the ball—almost. He was only centimeters away when Akashi, having prepared for this, stepped back and spun around Kuroko again, bringing the ball up to his chest for a basket. He would've made it, too, had not one thing happened.

Namely, Kuroko's own clumsiness.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking, but as Akashi prepared to shoot the shot that would end it all, Kuroko felt all his inhibitions simply . . . melt away. He didn't stand back and think of the outcomes, nor did he freeze from the redhead's sheer strength. Rather, he raced forward, fingertips splayed out, hand almost touching the ball—

There was a clatter, and a bang, and the next thing Kuroko knew was he was glancing down at Akashi, the basketball bouncing helplessly beside them. Akashi glanced up at him with wide eyes, though Kuroko was sure he was just as surprised, perhaps even more so. This . . . was this a joke? Did God hate him? Was he mocking him, and his futile love, the one that would never bear any fruit?

But as he was staring down at Akashi, all those questions seemed entirely irrelevant, and completely unimportant. He was sitting on top of Akashi. On Top. Of Akashi. The thought was dizzying and left him breathless, and he could feel himself become slightly aroused at the sight of those rosy cheeks, that tussled hair, those bright red eyes that seemed to peer into his very soul—

Akashi was the first to speak. "Kuroko—"

But he never got the chance. Before Akashi even knew what was happening, Kuroko leaned down and kissed him.

He was kissing Akashi.

To Kuroko, their lips seemed to mold together almost like a broken plate, and Kuroko, feeling emblazoned, gently touched his tongue to Akashi's lips—

The reaction was immediate, and instantaneous.

Before Kuroko could even register what was happening, Akashi pushed him up, rubbing at his mouth vigorously, looking as perturbed as Kuroko had even seen him.

"You—what are—you . . . you just . . ." It was an amusing sight, Kuroko thought, seeing Akashi so flustered, especially when he'd been the cause of it. But one look at his eyes, and Kuroko's mirth was quickly dispelled. That warmth from before? Gone. Those friendly eyes, the one's of his captain, his friend? All but evaporated. All that was left were eyes full of confusion, uncertainty, and—here Kuroko gulped, finally reading the last emotion—disgust.

Akashi was disgusted with him.

Kuroko, taking a shaky breath, stood up, looking at Akashi with more courage than he felt. "I like you, Akashi-kun." Always blunt and to the point. There was no need for anything else.

"L-like . . . ?" Akashi stepped back, glancing at Kuroko uncertainly. "H-how do you . . . You like me?" The last words were soft, softer than a child's, though his gaze seemed to harden. It was much harsher than anything Kuroko had seen before. "_You_ like _me_?"

"Yes." It was incredibly difficult keeping the emotions off his face, but he managed. "I like you."

"Ah! No—don't say anymore. Y-you . . . I'm sorry, Kuroko." And with that, Akashi darted off, leaving Kuroko alone in the dimly lit gymnasium.

And deeply alone with his heart, that seemed to break into pieces.

XXX

**Hey there! So I decided, while I was finishing my Free! Crossover, that I'd do some KnB one to three shots based on requests, AUs, and my own personal indecencies. This is the first part of at least two, and the prompt is italicized at the top. Might change frequently, so be prepared! **

**And these will all be AkaKuro. Whether it's Kuroko on top, bottom, current Akashi, past Akashi . . . it doesn't matter. If you send me a request, I'll try to see what I can do with it :D It can be like the prompt at top, or it can be a little more specific. And I'll try to do them in order! But yeah, requests as of right now are . . . **

**OPEN. **

**Also, as a note: This takes place before Akashi changes into the Akashi we all know and love. Hence him being a little more innocent and him calling Kuroko, Kuroko. So yeah. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you feel so inclined, drop a line or a fav and let me know how I did! **

**:D **


	2. Chapter 2

_In which love triangles are never good, but especially when dealing with two very different redheads._

**Part TWO. **

XXX

They'd won.

It hadn't seemed like they were going to—what with all the dissonance—and to be honest, Kuroko had never expected it. But then, at the championship, they'd won—they'd defeated Kamata Junior High, and those damned twins, and they'd done it, something that was completely unheard of in middle school basketball. They'd done it, they'd won, and yet . . .

Why didn't it feel good?

Kuroko didn't know; he'd thought, after everything they'd been through, after all the training he'd done, that he would be happier about this. He'd wanted this, right? To be acknowledged, to be in the first string, to win a game . . .

Or maybe it had been something else entirely.

Two weeks had passed since Kuroko had confessed to Akashi-kun, and in those two weeks, something . . . strange had happened. Well, at first it hadn't been; Akashi-kun, much like Kuroko expected, kept avoiding him. The only times they'd talk were during practice, and even then, it was a simple order from Akashi, an acknowledgement from Kuroko. Akashi-kun never stopped by after practice, and surprisingly, Kuroko found himself practicing less and less. Two hours morphed into one, and one into a half . . .

And soon, he stopped coming all together.

Well, almost. Sometimes, he still had that feeling to go play, to practice until his hands hurt and his fingers ached. He'd stay behind, for hours on end, thinking nothing except basketball and basketball and more basketball—

Tonight was one of those nights.

Sighing, he grabbed another basketball, being sure to aim for the hoop. He pushed up, his elbows doing most of the work, his hands leaving the ball's edge—and a moment later, it connected with the hoop, sending it flying back; another one that didn't go in. Kuroko gritted his teeth, and grabbed another one, and another one—he kept shooting until his fingers ached, yet none of them ever made it. Some would hit the backboard, some would hit the rim, others would miss it entirely . . .

He was out of balls.

Breathing heavily, he clenched his hand before hitting it against his leg, upset. Why couldn't he do it?! He practiced here every night, and yet he was no closer to his goals than the first day he started. While all his other teammates were blooming, developing impossibly incredible talents, he was still stuck here, unable to do even the barest basics. He couldn't shoot, he couldn't dribble, he couldn't improve his stamina . . .

His thoughts, like a rubber band, snapped back to Aomine, who hadn't come to practice at all the past week. It was like a bad movie, where Kuroko knew the ending; he knew that Aomine didn't want to come, but every day, he tried to bring him back, and every day, he felt himself drifting farther and farther away. They were drifting. No longer did Aomine rely on him, or his passes, or anything—"the only one who can defeat me is me." Sure, that's what he thought. But Kuroko knew that, somewhere along the line, he would meet someone, a rival, who would wipe that bored expression off his face for good. It had to happen. It would happen.

Right?

His thoughts morphed and twisted, and suddenly a redhead was at his forefront, blocking all other thoughts. Those two red eyes that he loved—except, they weren't really red, were they? No, one was, sure, but the other—

_He thought he'd seen a flash of veritable gold. _

Unbidden, memories of _that night_ came back to him, and he suddenly gasped, the ache in his chest growing stronger. He hadn't thought much about Akashi's rejection since he cried that night, but now, completely alone both in the gym and on the team, Kuroko couldn't contain his feelings. They were leaving him behind. Every single one of them: Aomine, Midorima, Kise, Murasakibara, but most importantly—

"Tetsuya."

That voice.

He knew that voice, didn't he?

Taken off guard, Kuroko reeled back, his foot connecting with the basket he'd been using earlier. There was a twinge of pain, and suddenly he fell down, a gasp escaping his throat. Pain laced through his leg—

And cool fingers touched his ankle.

He wasn't sure how Akashi had gotten over there so quickly, or why he was holding his ankle like it was something precious, but something inside him snapped, and he lashed out, hitting him. Akashi turned to the side, surprised by the slap, before he glanced down at Kuroko, lips pressed into a firm line.

"Tetsuya. Is that how you treat someone you like?"

Kuroko gasped again, and tried to pull away, but Akashi tightened his grip, causing him to cry out in pain.

"I-It hurts . . . Akashi-kun . . ."

"Does it?" Akashi twisted his hand around his ankle, causing his leg to spasm. Kuroko glanced up at him, tears in his eyes.

"Oh~" Akashi took one look at his crying face and loosened his grip, instead settling his hand on Kuroko's calf. His hand began rubbing soothing circles on his skin, to which Kuroko shook, this time for a different reason. "So that's what that looks like~"

"H-huh?" Kuroko glanced up at him, confused. "What are you talking about, Akashi-kun?"

"Hmm~ I wonder." The circles stopped on his leg, and Kuroko couldn't help feeling disappointed. Instead his hand rested on his ankle, which was becoming a beautiful kaleidoscope of noirs, amethysts. "Let's get this cleaned up, Tetsuya."

"Akashi-kun doesn't have to bother—ah!" Surprised, Kuroko grabbed onto his neck as Akashi picked him up, carrying him bridal style. He could feel his cheeks heating up to a thousand degrees, though he could only cling to Akashi tighter. "A-Akashi-kun, I can walk myself."

Akashi gave him a look, almost as though he was pitying him. "But you hurt yourself, Tetsuya. And it wouldn't be right as a captain—no, as a human being—to let you walk on an injury." The words were innocent enough, and Kuroko knew he shouldn't try to read into them, and yet he couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine. Something wasn't right.

"And besides," Akashi was completely oblivious to Kuroko's distress, "I figured you'd be ecstatic that I was carrying you. Me, the one you like."

Kuroko wanted to say that he'd already been rejected, but words failed him, and he could only gape at Akashi. Instead, he decided to imprint every single aspect of Akashi to memory, unsure if he would ever get this chance again.

His jaw was the same. It was still strong, though soft around the edges, perfectly capped by slightly tussled red hair—was that shorter than before? It looked like it, and Kuroko couldn't help the disappointment that bubbled up inside him. He'd always like Akashi's hair longer. It just . . . made him the way he was.

"We're here." Kuroko hadn't realized they'd been walking before he glanced up, taking in the infirmary sign. There were no lights on in the office.

He frowned. "Akashi-kun, I'm fine, really. Besides, the nurse isn't here right now, and—well, and—"

"Are you defying me, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko froze, that uncomfortable feeling from before multiplying a hundred fold. His breaths started coming out quickly, and without restraint, and—was Akashi smirking? Not smiling, there was no warmth, but he was—he was—

"Well?"

"N-no, Akashi-kun. I . . . I'm sorry." He quickly diverted his gaze, being sure to look anywhere but Akashi. "Please do as you want."

Akashi hummed his agreement and, procuring a key from seemingly out of nowhere, he opened the door whilst balancing Kuroko in his arms. The door clicked open, and the barely lit hallway was dimmed by shadows.

Akashi glanced down at Kuroko, smirking again, and Kuroko flushed, burying his head into Akashi's chest. He felt a strange rumbling come from his captain, and he glanced up, only to find Akashi chuckling.

"Akashi-kun?"

His laughter stopped almost instantaneously, and he regarded Kuroko with a cool expression. "It's nothing, Tetsuya. Let's get you cleaned up, huh?"

It wasn't a suggestion.

When they entered the room, Akashi fumbled for the light switch before the room was engulfed in blinding, searing light. Stacks of magazines covered a nearby table, encroached by two chairs the color of puke green—a desk acted as though a head, glancing over them like a mother checking over her two children.

His steps were sure and focused as he brought Kuroko to a bed, being sure to lay him down, gently, like he was fragile china. Kuroko could only gape, his mouth partially hanging open. _What's going on?_ he thought. _Why is he being so nice to me? _

"Why?" Kuroko started, suddenly realizing that he'd said that last part out loud. "You want to know why, Tetsuya?"

Unable to find any words, Kuroko could only nod dumbly.

Akashi chuckled, though it did nothing to quell his beating heart. "I figured it would be obvious Tetsuya. You're not stupid. Figure it out yourself."

Before Kuroko could respond, Akashi was already drifting away, a weed in the wind, drifting farther and farther out of Kuroko's sight. When he was gone, Kuroko breathed a sigh of relief he hadn't been aware he'd been holding, glancing almost fearfully at the door as it clicked shut.

What was going on? Akashi was here, acting nice to him—well, not to say he didn't before, but ever since that night, he'd been avoiding him, hoping to erase Kuroko's confession by mere circumvention alone. And then, and then—

"_And you know, the reason why I've been following Aka-chin all this time is because I felt that, no matter what, I could never win against Aka-chin."_

"_But recently I've begun to feel—"_

"_That maybe that isn't the case." _

"_**I don't wanna listen to someone . . . weaker than me."**_

There. That'd been it, hadn't it? The day that Murasakibara questioned Akashi's authority, the day he challenged him to a one-on-one . . . the day that Akashi almost lost. That had been the first time, and the last. Because, because—

_Akashi was going to lose. _

_He was going to lose, wasn't he?_

_For the first time—_

And yet, he hadn't. Somehow, against the odds—

_A flash of gold. _

_A murderous look. _

"_You got carried away a bit, huh, Atsushi? Don't make me lose my patience."_

"_**Anyone who opposes me, even if they're my parents, should be eliminated."**_

_And then, the end game. _

He hadn't lost. Akashi had fought, and fought—and then it was like he was a completely different person, someone who didn't need to fight. He simply needed to be there, and he'd win. An Akashi like that—

"_Who are you?"_

"_What are you saying? I'm obviously Akashi Seijuuro . . . Tetsuya~"_

An Akashi like that scared Kuroko.

And an Akashi like that wasn't the Akashi-kun that Kuroko fell in love with.

His head hurt.

The door slammed open, and the bane of his existence came out, carrying a medical bag that had definitely seen better days. Some gauze hung out the side of it, the color of fresh tar, the bag itself a hideous shade of brown that looked as though the entire rainbow puked on it.

He settled in one of the chairs closest to Kuroko, taking the disgusting bag and placing it down beside him, which he then proceeded to glance through. After a few moments, he gave what sounded like a growl, and then threw the bag against the wall, spilling its contents. Kuroko flinched, suddenly unsure of what to do.

"Akashi-kun . . . ?"

"I suppose we're going to have to fix it the old fashion way," he muttered, more to himself. Before Kuroko could even ask what he meant, Akashi grasped his ankle, brought it up to his lips, and kissed it.

Kuroko was sure his eyes were bulging. Akashi had just kissed his foot.

Akashi had just kissed him.

"A-A-A—"

But Akashi either didn't care about Kuroko's reaction, or he simply cared too much, for he turned away and skulked back to the closet, this time not even bothering to shut the door. A few moments later, he returned, victorious, an unopened pack of gauze and disinfectant in his hand. Without even bothering with formalities, Akashi sprayed his injury and then proceeded to slowly wrap it.

"Akashi . . . kun?"

"Hmm?" Ah. They were finally getting somewhere. "Is there something wrong, Tetsuya?"

"N-No," Kuroko replied quickly, twisting his head away. He was sure his face was as red as Akashi's hair. "I-It's just . . . why did you kiss me?"

There was no reply.

"Akashi-kun?"

Deep down, Kuroko knew what he was going to say, but he just couldn't believe it. No, no, it had to be a mistake, right? More than a mistake. It had to be a downright lie. Because, he had already . . .

Akashi-kun's eyes flitted across his mind, the betrayal clear in their depths. The betrayal that someone, a close friend and teammate like Kuroko, was like that—

Suddenly Kuroko's ankle was yanked off the side of the bed, and he landed on hard concrete. The pain shot off his back, his ankle screaming out in protest. He tried to hold back tears, but it was just no use. It hurt too much.

"You're thinking of _him_, aren't you?" The Akashi that isn't Akashi-kun hissed. "You're thinking of him when you're in my presence."

Kuroko could only gape at him, bewildered. Then his mouth audibly clicked shut and he gazed with a look of pure terror. "N-no, I wasn't—"

Akashi dug his fingers into Kuroko's ankle, eliciting a pained moan from his lips. Dark spots danced around the corners of his eyes, but with some difficulties, Kuroko pushed them away, instead staring into two mismatched eyes full of fury. Pure, unadulterated fury.

"I _know_ you, Tetsuya. I _know you_." Akashi's face twisted into something of a smile, though no warmth was there; just that crazed, manic look in his eyes, the irises burning. Leaning forward until just the tips of their noses touched, he breathed, "I was the one who found you—the one who allowed you to join this team. I was the one who saved you from your pathetic excuse of an existence, a life eternally cursed to be unnoticeable. It bothered you, right? It must have. Being nothing better than air in a room . . ." As he said each word, his grip tightened around Kuroko's ankle, squeezing and tightening until Kuroko was sure it'd be shattered. He wasn't sure how much more he could take—

And yet, despite that, he felt a smooth hand cup his chin, forcing him to look into Akashi's eyes. Making him unable to look away. His breathing became shallow, and suddenly found himself hyperventilating. And yet . . .

He was _mesmerized_.

"But I gave you more than that Tetsuya. Nobody else did. Not Aomine, not Kise, and especially not my counterpart. You're too good for them Tetsuya. Nobody else can have you. _You're mine_." And with that, Akashi leaned forward, harshly kissing Kuroko as if it was his last breath on earth. Kuroko, too in shock to know how to respond, could only stare blankly as Akashi nipped his lower lip, forcing him to open up. He obliged unwittingly, only realizing his folly when something wet, and slimy, trailed against his tongue, coaxing it into a dance. He moaned slightly at the contact, suddenly feeling everything, his mind in overload. Nothing made sense. This wasn't Akashi-kun, but it was, at least in some ways—or, in ways that he imagined it would be. The kiss was searing, and hot, and suddenly he felt something hard poke into his thigh.

Pulling back, Akashi smirked, his eyes lit with an unknown mirth. "Do you feel that Tetsuya?" He grinded against Kuroko, harshly, hearing another beautiful hiss of pain leave his lips. "Do you honestly think . . ." Another thrust. "That my counterpart would ever do this with you? Do you honestly think he would ever view you with something other than disgust?"

Kuroko's breathy moans stopped cold, his eyes widening. No . . . Akashi-kun . . .

Akashi-kun. His first love . . . his last? He didn't know, but . . .

_The first time they ever saw each other, it was during tryouts. Akashi-kun was just another one of hundreds in the gym, and yet, Kuroko couldn't help noticing him, almost as if he had a spotlight shining on him, and him alone. The way he walked was graceful but surprisingly powerful, each footstep a swan gliding across a sea of lava. He was wearing a jersey, yellow, the color strangely matching his hair, a virulent red that seemed almost too loud in the crowded area. And his eyes—the color matched his hair perfectly, two glowing rubies, a color that was just as beautiful as it was uncommon. He looked completely unapproachable. _

_And then, he watched, surprised, as a guy only a few centimeters taller than him could play basketball that well. He could only stare as his yellow jersey morphed into a blatant white, and now he was completely unapproachable. _

He felt tears gather at the corners of his eyes as he came back to reality, staring into the face of the one who'd caused him so much trouble. Staring into that gold eye, the one that burned like the sun . . .

The one that should be red.

A chill descended upon his body, and suddenly Kuroko shivered, feeling goose bumps. His nipples were pert, almost completely hard—

_Akashi-kun was perfect. _

_He was everything Kuroko aspired to be, and more. Commanding, athletic, and strangely gentle, he was the epitome of what all humans should be. He was the greatest example . . . _

_But not good enough to help Kuroko. _

_The coach had told him, quite frankly, that he should just quit the team. That all his hard work was worthless . . . and Kuroko believed him. He didn't have anything to show for it, after all. He'd spend hours working, always working harder than everyone else, and yet he was never able to do the simplest of things, like shooting or dribbling or dunking. He didn't have those skills. _

_He didn't have anything. _

_And even so, even after every possible factor pointed to him being completely useless, there was one saving grace. Namely, Akashi-kun. The night they met, the day that he would've probably quit basketball forever . . . he met him. The one he'd admired from afar . . . _

"_It's the first time I've seen someone like you . . . putting everything you have into basketball even though others can't see the results."_

Well, that could've gone better.

"_Sorry, but right now I don't really want to hear this . . ."_

"_Ah, sorry, sorry!" He laughed. "Even so, there's no reason for you to feel this way."_

_He hadn't thought about those words when he'd said them, but even so, Kuroko could feel his face heating up, his depression sliding away to nothing but a husk. Akashi-kun . . . no, the man that everyone should admire . . . thought he was a good basketball player?_

"You're thinking of him again," Akashi murmured against heated flesh, dragging his teeth down Kuroko's stomach. Said player arched into the teasing sensation, his head light, his hands finding purchase in Akashi's hair. No, no, he can't fall into this . . .

He can't be swept away.

Akashi-kun was waiting for him.

And this Akashi-kun was nothing more than an imposter. Nothing to Kuroko . . .

"D-do you . . . like me?"

And yet, he needed to know.

Akashi stopped his ministrations momentarily, looking Kuroko dead in the eye. Finally he smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Do you honestly have to ask, Tetsuya? I figured what I was doing was fairly obvious." Leaning down ever so slightly, he chuckled, the hot breath hitting Kuroko's ear like a shotgun. "But if you insist on knowing, then yes. I do like you, Tetsuya."

"Only you."

Akashi looked slightly surprised at his comment, but then smirked again, wider—a victorious smile. A smile completely like Akashi-kun's, and yet completely unlike his all at once. "Yes, I suppose that's true—only me. I am the only one that likes you Tetsuya."

His voice was barely above a whisper as he said, "And I plan on winning your heart. After all, because I always win, I'm always right. Don't you agree, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko was silent.

Akashi, completely oblivious to Kuroko's distress, or perhaps simply ignoring it, continued, "And isn't it better this way? I like you Tetsuya. And you—well, you like me, right? So I don't see why you're asking so many questions." His hand snaked into Kuroko's gym shorts, a finger tracing the edge of something Kuroko didn't want to think about. "Why don't we just continue where we left off—"

_Slap._

It came out of nowhere, this slap, and it surprised Akashi so much that his head turned to the side, his mismatched eyes wide. Then, quickly, so quickly that Kuroko was sure he'd get whiplash, Akashi turned towards him, that same murderous look from so long ago painted fresh across his face. His gold eye was shining, outlining Kuroko's pale form, those angry eyes of blue—

And then, just as suddenly, the anger left, only to be replaced with two blank eyes, looking at Kuroko as though he was nothing better than a bug. His cheek was still red from where Kuroko had slapped him. "So that's how you feel, huh?" He looked slightly lost, as if he couldn't understand why Kuroko wouldn't want to be with him when he obviously wanted to be with Kuroko.

But did he, really? Did this Akashi understand the difference between liking someone and forcing them? Or did he simply view everything in the world as something to be won? Was Kuroko just that? A toy for Akashi to use, something he could win to beat his other half?

Shaking his head to clear these thoughts, Kuroko glanced up at Akashi, his eyes wide in what he would only call as defiance. "Please get off me, Akashi-kun."

Akashi stared at him for a minute, his eyes unfocused. And then, quickly, it was like his one eye switched to red, like the old Akashi-kun was looking at him. It lasted for only a second, but to Kuroko, it was like a millennium. It was what he needed, at any rate. That small slip of this Akashi . . . it was enough.

It was enough for him to realize that his Akashi-kun was still somewhere deep down, still here even with this imposter.

He was still here, somewhere.

Before Kuroko knew what was happening, Akashi was standing over him, his face unreadable. His two mismatched eyes were like dancing fire. Finally, he turned around, but not before saying, so low that Kuroko almost missed it, "One day you'll be mine Tetsuya. I'll win this game, and make sure you fall out of love with him."

And with that, Kuroko was left irrevocably alone.

All alone, his shirt riding up, his ankle an impressive shade of purple, tears silently streaming down his face.

XXX

**So that's the end! Now don't worry; not all of these one-shots will be so dark—it just so happened that this idea kept pestering me, and I had to finish it, haha :D But seriously, let me know what you think in a review! In a nutshell, Kuroko likes Akashi (the original), and his feelings aren't returned; Akashi (the new one, the one with the Emperor Eye) likes Kuroko, but Kuroko doesn't like him. Kind of like a Midsummer Night's Dream, hehe :D**

**Any other questions, feel free to message me! :D**

**And also, please remember that requests are currently OPEN ^.^**

**See ya guys! Till next chapter! **


	3. Chapter 3

_When you've lived in the same place for a long time, you get tunnel vision. You might think you're getting the full picture, but in reality, the sides are blurry, the details scratched out. The main picture, sure, it's there; but each scuff, each and every nick on the pavement, the taste of the wind, the scent of the hydrangeas by the verandah? Nothing. There's absolutely nothing._

XXX

Kuroko Tetsuya sighed as he glanced out his window, the moon darkening the lawn with a sort of morbid illumination. Outside a lone kitten wandered past, its paws the color of inky blackness, his tail draped in a white tip. His bright blue eyes glanced around curiously, piercing even the blackening shadows, almost their own illumination, at least in a sense.

So tomorrow was the day. To be honest, Kuroko wasn't sure how to feel; everything felt unreal to him, a dreamlike quality to his days, and he could honestly say that tomorrow, when one of the most life-changing events of his life would occur, he probably wouldn't react much. Not like he ever did normally, but tomorrow, they'd be expecting something—tears. Some hugs, a few sniffles at least, maybe some empty words of promise, saying they'd meet up again, see each other in the coming weeks.

But Kuroko could offer none of that. He wasn't sure exactly what to feel. Some days, he was so excited that it was all he could do just to keep his face completely devoid of emotion, to maintain his low presence enough to avoid people's detection. But then others, he was a walking mess, a disaster; afraid of the future, unable to embrace it, a cowardly gait. Even worse, on some days he was completely devoid of any emotion, save for the daily struggle of getting to work, applying for loans, a few scholarships thrown in the mix. Each day was a different story, a whole new set of emotions; ones that he couldn't replicate even if he wanted.

It just . . . it was hard. One day, he knew (and that day happened to be tomorrow, but even that fact had slipped away from his grasp) he would have to leave his family behind, his younger siblings, his aging parents and nearly ancient grandmother. Sure, he could come back and visit, send a few phone calls their way, even send a gift—but it wouldn't ever be truly the same, would it? No, he wouldn't be here every day, watching as the leaves outside turned from a translucent green to a virulent red, then a majestic golden yellow. The light from the sun wouldn't flicker the same way like in his apartment, through the cracks in the door, defining shadows in the foyer. He wouldn't see the neighborhood children pass through, black backpacks hung haphazardly over one shoulder, their glittering smiles and soothing laughter bringing life to the aging community. His siblings would grow taller, every day; and when he saw them next, he would wonder where exactly the time had gone, when Tetsuki had stopped putting her hair in pigtails, and Katsuya had decided that he was too cool for a hug from his older brother. In a way, everything would remain the same, an eternal youthfulness; but then, on the other hand, nothing would be the same. It was almost like a movie, remade from its earlier counterpart, the general story the same; but the details? Some were similar, but most were vastly different, and thus each movie was special in its own way, each with its own ups and downs, laughs and tears. Kuroko would be living one movie; his family, and his town, another. In a way, that was sadder than any novel he'd ever read.

And yet, at the end of the day, he was happy. Sure, he'd be leaving them behind, but he'd be starting something new too, something that could possibly rival even what he had now. Maybe he'd meet some girl, a quiet one, and they'd walk to class together, hands sometimes entwined, other times clasping novels all too tightly. He get new friends, naturally all basketball players, and they'd play together on the weekends, when they weren't busy with work or school or lovers or an English paper due at the end of the day. His siblings would visit on occasion, and here, in this new place where anything was possible, he wouldn't question the inexplicable habits as he would at home. He'd be cool, a little detached, greeting each one promptly, introducing them to his friends, his girlfriend, the cool restaurant down the street that sold awesome sushi. He'd teach them new basketball moves that he learned from practice, smiling as Katsuya gave an impressive attempt while Tetsuki stared, wide-eyed, at the giant men surrounding her. Then she'd scurry to Kuroko's side, grasping his leg, her flowing hair tickling his calf as she eyed the team with a look of distrust. They'd have fun though, and return home, and everything would return as it was.

But everything couldn't remain as it was.

Kuroko sighed again, something he'd been doing a lot lately, and pushed his chair away from his window, closing his eyes. If he sat like this, he could imagine a better life, one where everything and anything he wanted was his for the taking, if he put his mind to it. He could also imagine a world where everything he aimed for dissolved into ash, coating him in a sticking embrace, a suffocating sense. It was a world where he didn't play basketball, where each day he meandered through Tokyo's streets with a gray suit, dead blue eyes. It was a place where time was perpetually stuck at four in the morning, the seconds ticking by agonizingly slowly, yet still too fast to do anything but watch helplessly as the hour morphed into a day, and the day in a year. The grave would zip by, a welcoming laugh from Death's guardian angel—

"Onii-san?" A small, somewhat soft voice interrupted his musings, causing him to crack open an eye curiously. Cute bunnies blinked back at him, their eyes the shape of almonds, engulfed in a sea of lavender. His little sister, Tetsuki, was glancing at him, rubbing her eyes as though she'd just woken up.

"Tetsu, you should go to bed," he said, using the cute pet name she'd insisted on him calling her after her fifth birthday. "It's really late."

"I know," she huffed, some color returning to her speech. "But Onii-san seemed worried all day, and I was worried." She plopped down on his bed, her feet hanging off the floor by a good few centimeters. "Are you?"

"Worried?" He supplied, though in retrospect there was probably no need. Tetsuki understood a great deal of the world more than her twin, so her words should not have come as a shock to him. "Not particularly."

"Onii-san," she said again, her tone stern. "You can lie to Mama and Papa and that idiot Katsuya, but you can't lie to me. I know. You're afraid about tomorrow, right?"

Ah, afraid. He wasn't necessarily, though he supposed to an outsider that might appear the case. "It's not so much afraid."

"Then what is it?"

"Anxiety, perhaps? Or excitement?" He smiled demurely at Tetsuki, who blushed an impressive shade of scarlet. "Maybe a mix of both."

"O-kay," she said, though it didn't sound like she understood at all. "But Onii-san will do anything he does well, so he shouldn't be worried." Her feet lightly thudded against the floor, and she turned towards the door, going as she came—quickly, and without reason. A purposeful gait, though.

But before she reached the door handle, she paused, and Kuroko could almost imagine her silently arranging her options. Finally, she said, "Onii-san, do you mind . . . if I sleep with you?"

Instead of words, she heard the rustling of bed sheets, and that was all she could do before she jumped forward, snuggling in the bed with the brother that would soon not become her brother.

These were the thoughts that plagued Kuroko's head even as he fell asleep, and subconsciously he grasped Tetsuki tighter.

XXX

**Okay, so hey there! If this is your first time reading this, I hope you enjoyed this! If not, here's the second one-shot in this small collection of one-shots. I've been really feeling this since college is right around the corner, and I'm not sure how to progress, so some of his feelings really resonate with my own. **

**Also, I wanted Kuroko to have a little sister, so SUE ME.**

**^.^**

**Anywho, this story is bound to be a little longer than the last, as it will showcase Kuroko and Akashi's viewpoints, alternating, so don't be surprised if this wasn't done in a three-shot. **

**. . . Also, I'm sorry for having fell off the face of the earth, but I can't guarantee it won't happen again. I have a few one-shots planned out, but some of them are too childish, and others are way too serious, so I'm trying to find a happy medium. I hope this is it. **

**But thanks for reading, anyways :) Have a good day, and remember to review! **


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